


The Incident at Japan: Volume 3

by MrOmelette



Series: The Incident at Japan [3]
Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Persona 3, The Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Gen, Isekai basically, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28076043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrOmelette/pseuds/MrOmelette
Summary: Rose-tinted glasses. Don't let that cloud your judgement. Or something, the metaphor left me. This is still garbage though.
Series: The Incident at Japan [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1973605
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Demon Among Devils](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/726276) by The Crimson Lord. 



> Volume 3 of my series. I hope you guys like this!

* * *

* * *

“No maid cafes. It’s been overdone. Even crossdressing maid cafes.” Taichi said, shaking his head, as if he’s done so before.

“Then I got nothing.”

“If I may add,” said someone, “A lot of us here in class are actually in clubs, so I think it’s best if we go simple.”

Heads agreed on that before turning back to their phones and chatting.

 _True_ , Taichi though _, the number of students who don’t participate in club activities in class is actually…_ He counted using his fingers, _less than ten_.

His eyes then met Minato. He had part-time jobs. The others: preparing already for college exams or just lazy.

* * *

文化祭  
Bunkasai  
Cultural Festival

The pinnacle of Youth.

With rose-tinted glasses, it was what most students looked forward to after Golden Week and Undokai.

Minato was no exception. “How about a lounge area?” He sure as hell wouldn’t miss the opportunity to help. “Our class is right in the middle of everything.”

All eyes were on him. “The building’s entrance is right below. We’re the nearest building from the school’s entrance, and I’m pretty sure the class right beside us is already doing some sort of variation of a café.”

His eyes met Taichi, who nodded. “Yep, student council representative here confirms that, though you didn’t hear it from me.”

“I don’t think our homeroom teacher would like that. It’s too…” The class representative, Minato knew was pro-student, also had to represent the faculty.

“Boring?” Minato supplied, “But that doesn’t mean we’ll slack off. I think the faculty just want to see us apply ourselves. Besides, we want bare minimum.”

* * *

“You have an idea.” Taichi said, leaning forward to his desk, not asking. Granted Minato generally gave out good one, though needing refinement.

A lot of his classmates were listening too. Minato just has that effect on people.

Minato shrugged, “I just think we should go for a compromise. We want simple, the faculty wants us to participate.”

“I think that’s a good idea.” This came from Suzu, checking her nails. “The few of us that will remain here would most likely want to have something that’s easy to do and manage.”

“But, like Arisato-san said, it’s boring.” The class representative said.

“Then why don’t we not make it boring?” Shuhei, adjusting his hairband, making sure to showcase his unbleached roots. He leaned away from his seat and placed his legs on his desk.

How Minato was able to make [Crazed Dog Shuhei] attend school was a mystery. And surrounded by outlandish rumors.

The seat in front of Shuhei was Kenta’s, and he used his arm to slide the orange-haired student's legs off his desk. With an icy glare, of course. “Easier said than done.”

Mayu shrugged, “Not really. What if we market our class as the first destination for our festival?”

Drew clapped her hands, “Oh, like an information desk! That’s actually pretty neat.”

“Though that’ll take way too much prep time,” the class representative, Taichi could see was playing the devil’s advocate.

“But isn’t that the whole point? The teachers want to see us apply ourselves. They probably don’t care about the result.” Suzu said, as she picked up her phone.

Taichi had to agree on that one. The year before, a class literally created a gigantic paper mache teapot as a display piece for their class. It was voted the most senseless class effort by the student body in the school forums, but not one of the faculty stepped in to intervene during the creative process.

“Ayato-san,” Taichi called out to the class representative. “Let’s entertain this thought logistically.”

Ayato sighed. “What is the purpose of our lounge area?”

  * ~~For achieving the bare minimum~~
  * ~~So that our class would have an entry for the school festival~~
  * Correct answer: So that visitors will have a home base for the festival.



“Good, okay, I can live with that.” Ayato wrote it in the blackboard. “The next: who benefits from this area? Since we’re making a space, not a product.”

  * For the students: because it’s easy to manage once the festival starts
  * For the visitor: because it’ll be a nice area to meet-up.
  * For the teachers: …? _um_ -



“See, that’s the problem. The teachers wouldn’t see anything of our lounge area.”

“What if we make, like, a plan or something that our visitors could use?” Drew started.

“Like a pamplet?” Mayu added.

“A what?” Drew tilted her head.

“ _Brochure_.” Mayu spoke in English.

Drew snapped her fingers, “Yeah! That!”

A few gears in their classmate’s heads were rolling. “So, you mean to say, we do a lot of effort now, by compiling a comprehensive list of what to do during the school festival, so that when the festival happens all we do is just… laze around?”

“No gonna lie, I kinda like that.”

“Oh, oh! So like an information desk, but instead of a desk, we do it as a class?”

“Wait, wait,” Ayato tried to keep the class down, because everyone started to talk animatedly, “I mean, what about the student council? Isn’t it their job to catalog and _do_ this?”

A couple of heads turned to Taichi, who shook his head, “Nope. The student council’s already too busy for something like that. We don’t need to create a catalog for all the events taking place during the festival.”

“We can do it then!”

“Well, I guess it’s decided then,” Ayato sighed, but not defeatedly.

Taichi had to agree, if the whole class wasn’t into it, the whole plan, no matter how good, would really just fall apart.

“So, I guess, now, we create teams. One for creating the design of our lounge area layout, one for compiling all the activities taking place during the festival, and one who will turn all that data into something consumable.”

* * *

Minato volunteered to be one of the few students who’ll man the actual booth – which they called ‘Home Base’.

It was a booth that would be marketed as the first destination for the school’s Bunkasai.

Strategy-wise, it relied on aggressive early game tactics and a laid back, almost chill late game play.

The class would be doing a comprehensive pamphlet of what to see and what to do during the festival.

The information gathering teams have already started their preliminary searches, which would then be finalized a few days before the festival starts.

* * *

“Minato-sama! Oi! Minato-sama!” A small tanuki approached the boy, he had a straw hat which waddled as he ran towards the boy. “Minato-sama! Where are you going?”

School was over.

Usually, he’d be out of school, with a majority of the supernatural already eager to interact with him, but now, with the school’s cultural festival near, he had to pull his own weight for the class.

“This and that,” he said dismissively. He had been tasked to ask nearby classes what they’d be doing for their booths and report it before going home. With the school’s population nearing around 1200, if they dallied now, it’d be a pain later.

“Oh, are you busy, Minato-sama?”

He looked at the yokai and shook his head, “Not really, but I am in the middle of something.”

“Oh,” the tanuki had a look of awe, “Hey, hey, can I accompany you, Minato-sama?”

He shrugged, “Sure, but you have to behave.”

“Yes!” the tanuki did a salute.

They stopped at a classroom’s entrance. “Class 2-C.” Minato knocked once, “Hello.” He opened the door and saw a few students.

A few eyes started at him, but Minato didn’t really know anyone here. “Is the class rep around?”

He recognized one pair of eyes. Well, an eye. The other one had an eyepatch. “He just went home. He’s got cram school.”

“Ah, Nakamura-san.”

The boy with an eyepatch didn’t hide that he saw the tanuki that tagged around him. In fact, it was he who intimidated the yokai, the tanuki hiding behind Minato.

“Why? Did you need something, Arisato-san?”

“Well,” he explained what they wanted to do with their class booth for Bunkasai.

“Oh, well, we haven’t actually decided what we wanted to do with ours yet.” Īsan said, “You could ask us again tomorrow or before the week ends.”

“Um,” The two turned because another person entered the class. It was Drew.

* * *

“I can’t afford fast food.” Minato said as he accompanied Drew, Kenta and Īsan back to their classroom.

“We just ate there yesterday too,” Kenta added.

“Ramen?” Īsan said nonchalantly, “We can go eat ramen?”

“We aren’t hanging out though.” Drew said, flipping her hair. “We just need to talk about… things.”

The tanuki had taken to tailing behind Minato. “Humans are so weird. Why’d you have to go to another place to speak?”

“None of your business.”

* * *

They entered the class with Īsan staying behind, just outside.

“Īsan-kun?” Mayu saw the guy outside. She gave him a wave, which he reciprocated.

“Hey Mayu, we’re gonna go home now, wanna come with?”

“Can’t, I have to finish something for our class booth.” She turned to Minato. “Minato-kun, what was Class 2-C’s reply?”

“They haven’t decided yet. Īsan says to come back tomorrow or before the week ends. 3-A is doing a costume photography booth, while 3-F is going to do a _kaitenzushi._ ”

She sighed, “Who greenlit a kaitenzushi? And how are they able to get a portable conveyor belt? Honestly, we shouldn’t be this aggressive in the early stages of the festival.” She scribbled something on her notebook before turning, “Anyway, thanks for the hard work. I’ll make a report to our class rep later. See you tomorrow!”

“Going home already?” Suzu approached the group.

“Just about. Wanna come?” Drew said, slinging her back on her shoulder.

Suzu made a feel for her top bun, before nodding, “Yeah, I finished my report with Mayu a while ago.”

She turned to Kenta, “Don’t you have baseball practice?”

“Planning to ditch it.” Kenta said.

* * *

Kenta got dragged along neck by the team captain. “This is irresponsible! We have to worry about our presentation for the festival!”

Drew wanted to intervene but Suzu laughed at their friend, “Bye Kenta! That’s what you get sneaking around.”

“What’s happening?” Taichi had emerged from the school building, just to see Kenta get dragged back into the baseball field.

“Kenta tried to ditch baseball practice.” Suzu said.

“Really? That’s new.” Taichi saw two others around them, “Minato-kun, and…?”

“He’s Īsan from class 2-C.” Drew said. No use with Kenta, but it doesn’t really matter because Kenta appears to have at least gotten the supernatural down. She’ll just make sure he’s adjusted well in the upcoming days. Minato and Īsan, however. “I have business with them today so, we’ll be hanging out for a bit.”

“Ah,” Taichi said, slinging his messenger bag to his other shoulder.

They began to exit the school premises.

“Finished with student council stuff, Taichi-kun?” Suzu asked, fishing out her phone from her pocket.

He nodded. “Yep, this year’s festival’s going to be a good one!”

* * *

“Minato-sama,” the tanuki whispered, pulling his pants. “What’s this about a festival?”

Minato had his eyes glued to the teens around him, so he didn’t see the shining eyes of the yokai, “Oh, our school’s having a festival.”

“There will be food! And performances! And exhibitions! And kiosks! And booths~” Taichi let out a hearty exhale, “It’ll be so much fun!”

The tanuki took that at face value and just had to spread the news. “Oh my, well, if you’re good Minato-sama, I guess I’ll leave you with your friends.”

He scooted around before disappearing in nearby bush. He would then on spread the news that the Exalted One was organizing an event. Not just any event, _a festival_.

The supernatural met the news with excitement. Perhaps too much excitement. Tree and wind spirits were quick spread the news.

By supper, it had reached all the prominent sects that the resident Bodhisattva was organizing something.

Some were happy, hyped-up even, because they’ll want to see just what Minato was capable of, while other grew worried. ‘Is he trying to make a statement? A declaration?’

* * *

Minato, Drew and Īsan entered the ramen store where Minato worked at.

“いらっしゃいませ！  
Come on in!”

* * *

[ Bunkasai Arc ]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credits:
> 
> artist: 鴉羽 凛燈*2021年calendar販売中  
> [ https://twitter.com/rindo_karasuba/ ]  
> [ https://karasuba-rindo.tumblr.com/ ]  
> [ https://www.instagram.com/nuregarasu_illustration/ ]  
> [ https://karasuba-rindo.booth.pm/ ]


	2. Chapter 2

Birds chirping. The calm sea crashing softly. It was a nice day.

Chiron had returned uneventfully, albeit, dejectedly at Camp. He’d been unsuccessful in recruiting back Drew and _that_ boy to Camp, but at least the constellations weren’t murmuring weird things.

He’d finished reporting his little excursion to Dionysus and an oddly attentive Hestia. Finished his cup of coffee. Read the report that Argo II has recently completed the final step of their practice flights, and only the Hephaestus’ Cabin’s seal of approval was keeping them from flying towards the Roman Camp.

Nothing can go wrong-

_Boom!_

* * *

At this point, the fire extinguisher was within arm’s reach from his bed.

Leo Valdez awoke to the explosion that happened. This so called ‘Curse’ has been affecting his half-siblings even before he got into Camp. Something about their previous head’s demise- _rest in peace, man_.

“Harley!” _cough-cough_ , he saw an eight-year-old boy with soot all over his face. Judging from his distance, the force of the blast had sent him flying and into the cushioned walls (also enchanted by the Hecate kids to be extra soft and safe), “Are you okay?”

He needed to extinguish the fires first, because safety hazard, so that left his half-siblings Nyssa, Shane and Christopher to check up on him.

The boy in question, shook his head, trying to get him out of his stupor. “Yeah, it’s just…”

“Fuckin’ Curse man,” came from a pained voice.

Nyssa glared daggers, “Jason! Language.” She used her head to point at their youngest half-sibling.

“Oh, sorry.” At least he looked apologetic. He tried to sit up from his position, but a WIP creation hovered above him, and his head hit a very hard surface. Doesn’t help that Jason was still recovering from his injuries.

“ _Fuckin! Curse! $%^ & !@#$ !@#$%^ @#$%^&*&^%$”_ The boy tried to massage his head but because his hands were in a cast, that didn’t help much.

“I’m gonna go call one of our healers.” Shane said, heading for the exit.

“Please.” Leo said, making sure that the fire hazard was no longer there.

When it was up to his standards, Leo went over to Harley, “You good?”

“Yeah…” the boy said, a bit dejectedly.

Leo tried to smile at the boy, but the overall mood of the cabin was… “Listen,” he raised his voice a little so that everyone present could hear them. “The Curse isn’t real.”

* * *

“The Curse is definitely real.”

Leo felt his eyebrows twitch. Just to dispel all worries of his half-siblings, he went over the Hecate cabin just to get advice from these arcane-inclined people, but their reply…

“No, you’re wrong.” Leo wanted to argue, but his fellow cabinmate’s voices drowned out his.

“See!” Christopher said crossing his arms.

“But, we’re fine. We’ve even completed Argo II. There is no curse.”

Nyssa tilted her head, “Could be because it’s a project that _you’re_ spearheading. The Curse doesn’t affect you.”

Harley’s mouth made an 'oh', “Yeah, yeah! We’re fine assisting _your_ projects, and projects commissioned by the gods, but anything outside of that-“

“Nada,” Shane said, making sure that Jason was safe.

Leo grumbled, “This is ridiculous…” he wanted to stomp his foot, but restrained himself. _Okay, fine_ , “Let’s entertain that notion.” He turned to the Hecate kids, zeroing in on Lou Ellen’s green eyes. “How does this Curse work?”

The girl shrugged, “Beats me, this is the first time I’ve heard it.”

Jason appeared sheepish, “We didn’t want any of the cabins know about this, actually.”

Another straw on the camel’s back.

Before Leo could make a reply, Lou Ellen, counsellor of Hecate’s cabin, spoke up. “Um, do you know how curses work?”

A young boy, younger than Harley, who shared Lou Ellen’s eyes, raised a hand. “Me!” He then proceeded to make noises with his mouth. “Like that!”

“Okay…?” Leo didn’t get it.

Lou Ellen ran a hand through her dark hair.

This made Leo embarrassed because most of the Hecate people were in their sleepwear. He came barging in, with all his cabinmates first thing in the morning.

“Curses functions on the belief that something ‘bad’ will happen.” Lou Ellen turned around and grabbed her covers, making sure to straighten them and folding it nicely. “Of course, there is more nuance to that, and other magic systems have varying… er… flavors on how they do curses, but generally speaking, Curses gain their momentum and power through belief.”

Okay, Leo could work with that – he could obliterate that theory with commonsense. “I don’t believe it, and I doubt any of my half-siblings actually believe it being true.”

“You just basically supported your cabinmate’s claim of the Curse being real.” Lou Ellen patted her pillow and adjusted the plush toys around her bed. Leo could’ve sworn that one of them high fived her.

At his confused looked, Lou Ellen started to explain: “You don’t believe the Curse which is why you were able to finish the Argo II. Your half-siblings being useful during Argo II’s repairs, and only during Ago II’s repairs, means that they don’t actually believe it.”

“Aha!” Leo Valdez pointed at Lou, then to his half-siblings. “See, the Curse isn’t real.”

“Except, any of their projects get scrapped or destroyed the moment your half-siblings start tinkering on their own.” Lou Ellen added. “Point blank, do you think your half-siblings are idiots?”

“No.” Leo’s voice was resolute.

“Then how could you explain a bunch of consistent episodic misfortunes and mistakes that _only_ happens when they start doing personal projects?”

“Err…”

Lou Ellen turned to Leo’s injured half-sibling, “Jason, have you and your siblings incurred the wrath of your father in the past?”

“No. Of course not.” Jason turned to his siblings, “You guys?”

“Nada.”

“Uh-uh.”

“No way.”

Harley just shook his head. But he did open his mouth, only to close it.

Lou Ellen sat on her bed, making the plush toys on it spring to life. They started to coddle the young teen. “Any idea when this all started?”

“It all started after… Charles died.” Nyssa admitted.

“Oh.” Lou Ellen grabbed a teddy bear and placed it on her lap, the plush toy in question giving her a hug with its paws. “Rest in peace Charles, but it’s not like him to Curse you. I mean, in the time I’ve known him, he wasn’t the type to hold a grudge. Even through the grave. Unless-“

“No!” All of Leo’s friends crossed their hands and shook their heads.

“No way. Us and Charles were cool.” Christopher said.

Lou Ellen picked up an insistent bunny plushie and placed it on her right shoulder. “Let me finish. What I mean is… unless one of the kids from the Titan’s side survived the Princess Andromeda incident-”

She paused because the cabin’s entrance opened.

It was Rachel Dare.

* * *

 _This was a weird prophecy_.

Because it didn’t sound like one.

Two of The Three [H]  
Guided By The Third Of [H]  
Shall Quest To The East

Rachel Dare and the Oracle of Delphi had a unique relationship. Especially with prophecies.

Normally, the Oracle would use Rachel as a conduit. But this time, it came directly to _her_. Of course, this was a terrible haiku, but it was made manifest from Rachel’s own… _psyche? Powers_? _Cheese?_

She’d consulted it to Dionysus, who was dismissive as usual, but… But Hestia-

“Hecate and Hephaestus.” Just like her vision, two of the H’s would be together, pushed by the third Hestia.

“It’s true.”

Rachel Dare felt the reality hitting her. “Holy shit.”

* * *

* * *

瀬をはやみ  
岩にせかるる  
滝川の  
われても末に  
あはむとぞ思ふ

_Se o Hayami  
Iwa ni Sekaruru  
Takigawa no  
Warete mo sue ni  
Awan tozo Omou_

_Though the stream is divided by a boulder in its swift flow  
I know the twain will soon unite again._

Mayu read the poem used as the main theme for their ‘Home Base’ booth. Their classmate who was part of the calligraphy club would be creating the main banner if it’ll get approved.

“Why the _Hyakunin Isshu_?” She’d asked this to Taichi earlier, before he went home. He'd suggested it casually, as casual as Taichi is able to be.

With a shrug, Taichi said, "All things that separate will converge and reunite in this single spot again." His gaze from a far, looking out the window. "This poem stood the test of time." Golden hour definitely made wonders for the skin, because Taichi-

 _-_ どくん _-  
_ -dokun-

_Weird, my heart skipped a beat._

Mayu shook her head, the class rep was back, and she needed to give him the initial plan of what they’d do for the school festival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credits:
> 
> photographer: boyspose  
> [ https://www.deviantart.com/boyspose ]  
> [ https://www.facebook.com/boyspose ]


	3. Chapter 3

"We are not about to send demi-gods to something as dangerous as the [East], especially since we're in the middle of the Seven Prophecy." Annabeth said calmly.

Rachel had wanted to think of it as something to be dismissed – _like I can spurt out something as a prophecy? That's just ludicrous._

But _Hestia_ called forth this meeting. A meeting about a prophecy made by Rachel. And Hestia rarely manifested her presence as one of the Olympian Twelve, because Dionysus usually played that role.

"Can we hear that new prophecy of yours again?" Jason asked.

"Can we not? It's kinda embarrassing."

"Holy- what are we doing so early in the morning here?" Rachel felt too embarrassed to see who said that, _Clarisse?_ _Or someone else?_

She recited the prophecy again.

"That's awfully… vauge." Leo said.

"Like _super_ vague." Lou Ellen added.

"But is it something we can ignore?" Piper asked, "Rachel, I know you mean well but…"

"The [East] itself is too broad too." Annabeth added. "East of the river? Eastern continents? Maybe even just at East Avenue New York."

"If only we could get more information about this." Will Solace, the Apollo counselor, said.

"Are we…" Rachel looked around, "are we taking this seriously?"

Annabeth nodded at her, "Of course, as much as I don't want the focus to shift away from our goal, we cannot ignore something like this."

"It's too much of a coincidence." the Hermes counselor said.

"Agreed." Jason said, before turning Will, "Do you know how to read the entrails of dead animals?"

"Gross." Was his reply.

" _Haruspicy_ ," Annabeth whispered. "You mean dabble in prophecy arts? That's very… _Roman_."

Jason shrugged. "Worth a try." He turned to Will again, "Or, like, read the flight patterns of birds? Can you?"

"I don't think anyone in Apollo's Cabin has that power."

"But you're the children of the god of prophecies!" said a counselor Rachel didn't see.

"Stereotyping." Will said, crossing his arms. "How about you, Lou? Got divination powers?"

"Tarot reading for me," Lou Ellen said with a shrug, "But it's more or less hit-or-miss. And would you bank on something as serious as prophecy interpretation to something as nebulous as Tarot cards?"

"Good point." Will said.

"Let's do it." Jason said.

"Huh?"

Jason looked at the bewildered look of the Camp counselors. "In the Roman Camp, we didn't have something as convenient as an Oracle." He paused. "We have an augur, but augurs are human. And people have biases, so it isn't as pure as a prophecy. Because of that, strategizing was based on what little evidence we had through divination."

At everyone's silence, he turned to Lou, "But we can look deeper into this prophecy, right?"

Lou looked like she didn't want to be there, until she let out a heavy breath, "If you must know, we exiled the kid who specialized in this kind of thing, but sure, I'll do it. But don't depend on me too much."

Rachel saw Jason turn to Annabeth and mouthed 'exiled?' to which Annabeth, with a knowing look, shook her head. 'Later', was what Rachel interpreted from that exchange.

"I need to prepare for this first." Lou Ellen said. "How about we have this conversation again after lunch?"

"If you will, I'd like to oversee the divination," Jason said standing up. "In the mean time, I think that will be all for now. We'll continue this in the afternoon."

With that, everyone let out a tired exhale.

"I'm hungry, I wonder what's for breakfast?"  
"It's too early for this~"  
"What time is it? 5AMish? What the fu-"  
"I wanna go back to bed!"

* * *

* * *

_You sure you don't need anyone to accompany you?_ Taichi sent through their group chat.

 _What the hell, Taichi? Minato-kun's there._ Suzu added an emoji with wagging eyebrows.

_It's business. Besides, Nakamura-san there._

_Who?_ Mayu replied. _Oh, I'm done with school too, Kenta's still practicing, haha!_

 _Īsan, that guy from the hospital, the one with the eye-patch_. Drew replied as Minato guided them to a secluded table on the corner of the ramen shop. It's pretty big, but only because to Drew it felt like a family-owned business.

 _Who's Īsan?_ Taichi asked.

"Poor Taichi." Drew whispered to herself as Mayu started to type something.

"Welcome! Ah, Minato-kun? Your shift starts later, and you brought friends today?" An old man greeted, emerging from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel. His samue was in deep blue, which matched his hat.

"They're from school." Minato greeted. "Said they wanted to try out our ramen."

Drew smiled politely, "He says you have a mean shoyu ramen."

"I'd like that for myself as well," Īsan said.

The old man nodded with a grin. He had a grandfatherly vibe, but he had a lean yet strong build, so it came off as confident. "Sure thing. And you, Minato-kun?"

"Same, I guess." Minato nodded. "Oh, and Cola too!"

* * *

Jason suggested they eat a working breakfast. He'd invited over Lou Ellen after she'd explained her plan. Which included the counselor of Urania's cabin, of all things.

"I don't know what I'm doing here, Lou." The counselor was a gangly boy with dark brown hair and pale green eyes.

Indeed, despite it being way to early for breakfast, a few of the early risers there were eyeing them as Jason waited for Annabeth to arrive.

Lou was laying down her tarot cards on the table, eating a sandwich with her non-dominant hand. "Everyone, this is Mike."

Annabeth emerged from the crowd, carrying a small stack of books in her hands. "I don't know much about tarot reading, so might as well learn something new." She took as seat between Jason and Rachel.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Piper asked.

"Beats me, all this hocus pocus stuff's outta my league." Leo said.

"The Oracle of Delphi usually does it for me, so I have no idea what's going on." Rachel said.

Lou Ellen ignored them. "-twenty, twenty-one… twenty-two." She turned to the group, "I guess that's all the Major Arcana."

Chiron also appeared before them, "Cartomancy?"

"More or less but I don't strictly adhere to a particular divination theory," Lou Ellen said, cracking her neck a little. "Which is why Mike here is with us."

"Me?" the gangly boy said, pointing at himself.

"Full disclosure," Lou said looking serious, "In no way am I the head authority of this craft, nor does my system embody any of the prevailing theories of cartomancy. If anything, my way is based on intuition, limited knowledge and basically finessing my way into understanding the cosmos."

"Dramatic much?" Rachel whispered.

Lou ignored her, "Also, because Alabaster should be the one doing this since this is his forte."

"Who?" Jason asked.

"I'll explain later." Annabeth said off-handedly.

"That doesn't explain why I need to be here." Mike said.

Lou turned to him, before turning the tarot cards facing down. "We're interpreting something the [Universe] has chosen to divulge to us, and I need to be precise with this." She pointed to a large stack of cards from the same deck, "I need a way to zero in on a more concrete reading, as such, I need to get rid of the Minor Arcanas in the reading."

When the last card has been turned, she started to stack them up. "I need astrological readings, Mike." She then shuffled the deck. "Star signs, moon signs, anything you could give me before I make this divination."

"I-" Mike felt all eyes on him. "Well, you're…" he'd blinked and suddenly his eyes started to glow. Then he blinked again, the glow gone. "You're asking an astrological reading from a Virgo. Polar opposite of Pisces. Speaking of which," he turned to Chiron, "Haven't they been acting weird lately?"

Chiron could only nod. "Well-"

Lou Ellen cut open deck into three parts, "Past, present and future. Three [H]. Three Lines."

Nothing was out of the ordinary, but the way Lou moved, the way she spoke. There was something-

First card: The Fool.

Annabeth had a book opened, "Zero. Nothingness."

Lou's voice cut her, "Endless possibilities."

Mike, as if in a trance, spoke again, "Venus… much more pervasive than usual."

Second card: Death

Annabeth quickly turned to a page in her book, "I don't want to think that that's what it means."

Jason placed a hand over her shoulder. "Shh~"

Third card: The Hanged-Man

Fourth: Temperance

Fifth: The Lovers

Mike turned to Chiron. "Come to think of it… your constellation was also acting weird."

Chiron opened his mouth-

"It's done…?" Lou Ellen turned to the book.

"So, we have a Fool, Death, Hanged-Man, Temperance and Lovers." Piper said, reading the cards out loud.

"Holy shit," Mike said, "That was a bit too intense for me."

"Huh? You didn't even do much?" Rachel said, unsure.

Lou shook her head, "No, he did amazing." She placed all five cards closer together. "I wouldn't have made that call without your help."

"Based from what I think: it's a hero's journey. But not like our heroes, you know? Because the Fool is associated with the Death tarot." Lou Ellen said.

"So, there's a villain?" Piper asked.

"Death is the natural end of all, it is neither good nor evil." Chiron said sagely.

"Chiron, you're cool and all but I have no idea what you're talking about." Leo said bluntly.

"It's a transition. A movement. Change." Lou said. "The Fool is in the process of a metamorphosis, if the Fool hasn't already."

"Huh?"

"So someone died?"

Lou shook her head, "No. What I did was merely peer into the context behind the prophecy. The [Past]."

"All that was just to read the past?" Annabeth asked.

Lou shrugged, "Like I said, this isn't my forte."

Jason leaned forward, "But, it's still something."

"You honestly believe in all this?" Piper asked incredulously.

"Well, we base our actions based on a prophecy, so…"

"Those are two different things!" Leo said hastily, hiding his mouth from Lou's sight.

"They're exactly the same," Jason said, "Just, with Rachel it's more concrete, and more godly-directed."

Mike appeared put off by the their behavior, minus Jason, towards Lou. "Lou is trying to make contact to something that supersedes the gods."

"Mike, that's too much for my paygrade, actually" Lou said dismissively.

"Trying to make sense to this is already a feat enough. Most augurs would be tilting the scales to their favor with that reading." Jason turned to the cards again, "So, does this mean that the prophecy happened because something needs saving?"

"Not yet," Lou explained, "The prophecy talks of heroic martyrdom because The Hanged-Man, I'd like to think, is associated with sacrifice in this reading."

She turned to all the cards, "Nothing's in reverse this time too, how odd."

"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked.

"If a card is upside down, from my position that it, it's inversed, which have a different set of interpretations." She tapped the Temperance card, "Like this here represents purpose, at least, in this reading's context. If this were reversed, we'd get an entirely different meaning."

"So, the Lovers card then? Is this some love-induced prophecy?" Piper's tone shifted to negative one at the mention of love.

"Well, to love is a choice. Which is exactly what this card represents in this reading, I think." Lou shrugged.

"So, we got a 'Journey', 'change', 'sacrifice', 'purpose' and 'choice.'" Jason said.

"That makes the whole prophecy even _more_ vague."

Jason shook his head, "No, no, no, this totally makes sense. So the reason why this happened is because there _was_ a journey to change something, but a sacrifice was made with purpose. And the sacrifice came from a choice."

"Basically, a hero's adventure." Annabeth summarized. "It's your typical journey."

"So, what? That this prophecy is indeed real and that we should take this seriously? We know that already." Leo said.

Mike rolled his eyes, "Funny how earlier you were dismissive of this reading."

There was a tense silence.

…before Lou's stomach grumbled.

Jason looked sheepish, "I think we should eat breakfast first."

Annabeth nodded, looking apologetic to Lou, "Agreed."

* * *

Minato watched as a tense silence descended in the deserted ramen-ya. Most of the patrons would be arriving later, during the dinner rush, so only his table was occupied.

"So, you and Chiron know each other?" Drew started with Īsan.

"So do you." Īsan replied, matter-of-factly.

"Fair point, but I'm a demigod at Camp-Halfblood. What's your excuse?"

"Fought in the second Titanomachy?" he asked back.

"Did you?" Drew asked back.

"I think we should restart this conversation." Minato said levelly.

Both eyes turned to him. Before both heads nodded.

"Sure, I guess."

"Good point."

"Drew," Minato said, "Is there any reason why you both called us here?"

"Safety." Drew said. "I want to live here peacefully, so I need to know why someone who Chiron knows is living in my city."

"Fair point." Īsan began, "But I'm not about to tell you my life's story. I don't owe you anything."

Drew let out an exhale. "I can make you," he heard her whispered under her breath.

If she would, Minato would for sure use Aphrodite to cancel that compulsion. "Tanaka-san."

"What? You don't know the [West] like I do, Arisato-san." Drew said. "Shit's been going down on the [West] even before I came here."

"Because of this Prophecy, right?" Īsan said.

"And you wonder why I am suspicious of you." Drew looked at the boy with an eyepatch.

* * *

While eating breakfast, Lou Ellen looked at the reading. "What the hell is in the [East] anyway? Isn't the [West] like the predominant power because that's where the gods are?"

"Why? What's happening?" Annabeth stood up and walk towards her, looking at the cards on the table.

"The [Present] centers around this," he pointed at a card with a robed figure. "Magician."

"So, like magic?" Leo asked.

"Could be," Lou said. "But the Magician here is inversed."

"And inversed cards have different meanings, right?" Annabeth asked.

"Yeah. It could be good, could be bad." Lou picked up the card, "It's either someone is manipulating us to go to the [East], which means that someone hijacked Rachel's status as Oracle to burden us with prophecy, or there is something that we need in the [East]."

"Why?" Jason asked. "The second one, I mean? What makes you think that there is something in the [East]?"

"An inversed Magician is usually untapped potential. The capacity to be… uh… _more._ " Lou Ellen looked at the card, "The Fool is again here, which could either mean beginnings or a free-spirited person." She turned to Jason, "Don't take my word for this, but it could be another of the Seven. But maybe not."

Rachel crossed her arms, "All this for some stupid Japanese haiku? A bad one at that too?"

There was a eureka moment for Chiron, and he hastily Chiron walked in between Annabeth and Jason and whispered something in their ears.

* * *

"I want an Oath." Drew said, crossing her arms, "I need to be absolutely sure that you aren't here under the influence of G-" the ground rumbled.

Minato took note because a particular Persona in his psyche alerted him of it's presence.

"Stop, you're being careless." Īsan leaned forward.

At least Drew looked apologetic, "…sorry. But still, I want you to swear it."

Īsan looked at her, then to Minato, before relenting. "I swear to the River Styx that I do not wish to willingly harm Drew or anyone associated to her unless provoked and with sound reason."

Minato felt power manifest but kept quiet.

That seemed to have made Drew agreeable, "But what about you?" Minato turned to the female, "What is the exchange that you are willing to offer?"

"Huh?"

"It only seems fair that you also give him peace of mind since he was willing to do the first step."

Drew appeared to want to disagree before exhaling, "Then I too swear to the River Styx that I do not wish to willingly harm Īsan or anyone associated to him unless provoked and with sound reason."

Minato also felt the same power manifest. But just had to comment. "That's pretty interesting."

Both teens looked at him, who shrugged, "Your word choice was-"

"Thanks for waiting!" An old lady wearing an apron came out of the kitchen, carrying a tray of three bowls of ramen.

* * *

"I haven't finished my reading." Annabeth heard Lou Ellen say as she entered the counselor's meeting room.

"It turns out, your reading gave us more than what we already need." Chiron said.

"What?" Annabeth asked. She looked around as most of the counselors settled on their seats.

Chiron then began to explain what he'd lived through sometime ago, to when a rift in the fabric of reality was opened right in the middle of Camp. He told them of his quick journey of aiding Drew Tanaka (of all people) and an event that can only be described as an [Anomaly]. And an existence that can only be described as 'Messiah'.

Jason was quiet for a moment, letting it sink the information settle in on the counselors. "What do you mean that you met the [Messiah]?"

It was at that moment that Hestia and Dionysus appeared. "Perhaps we should partake in this conversation as well."

Hestia, with her glowing eyes, stepped forward, with the [God of Wine] taking a deferential back step.

Annabeth took notice of that because this meant that Dionysus was conceding the authority of one of the Twelve to her.

"I, Hestia, bearer of the epithet [Vasíleia], shall embody the council." She turned to Rachel and smiled warmly. "You have done well, my dear [Of Pure Mind, Body and Soul]. You have done splendidly."

She turned to them, and for a moment, Annabeth watched as the world shattered. Crack. Like broken glass. The child-like appearance shifted. And out came a [Goddess]. Of Purity and Modesty. Of Grace and Resplendence. With a mysterious smile, she peered into their souls, before turning to Dionysus.

"Dionysus. You are just as a part of this as anygod, if not _more_."

Dionysus frowned before nodding. The world cracked again. And his form-

Annabeth had to look away. Because looking at him felt painful. It was like looking at swirls of madness.

Dionysus reeled in his power. And Annabeth can once again look at him. But instead of the unkempt man with tired eyes-

"Exalt, for a momentous jubilee draws near!"

* * *

The old lady did a bit of small conversation, being ecstatic that Minato-kun brought _friends._ But she'd immediately retreated because they had new customers.

"What about you, Arisato-san. What do you plan to do now?"

Minato shrugged, slurping his noodles. He chewed for a second, "I just want to attend school. Get a degree. Maybe go into trade school after that? I could go the salary man route too, but who knows?"

"If the world doesn't end." Drew said snapping her chopsticks apart.

"You make it sound like you don't trust your campmates." Īsan said, going in for the broth.

"This is the first time I'm hearing this." Minato said, looking at them both. "The world is ending?"

Drew shrugged, "Maybe, if Olympus doesn't get their shit together."

"There's a prophecy." Īsan said. "But I never really knew what specific prophecy it is."

Drew recited the [Great Prophecy].

Minato looked at her before frowning. "Prophecies…" he could feel something boiling in his chest. Anger? Disappointment? Abhorrence? Whatever it was, it both scared and empowered Minato.

"Where does humanity stand in such farce?"

"Arisato-san?"

Because prophecies negated humanity's power to decide. It devalued their capacity of self-autonomy. That in the presence of something as backwards as a prophecy, humans are nothing more than mere tools.

* * *

Rachel felt something amiss.

Actually, Hestia and Dionysus felt it but it was like an itch that can't be scratched.

Power was being summoned.

* * *

Drew nudged Minato's shin with her foot, "What're you doing?"

"How can humans live a life of endless potential when something as archaic as a prophecy is being lorded over them?" This was the first time Drew has seen that sneer on his face. Frankly, it was scary.

"Well, gods think we were born as simple disposable tools." Īsan said nonchalantly, attention on his noodles.

Drew turned to Īsan and gave him a look. The boy looked at her, who nodded towards Minato.

Minato's face was enough to get Īsan out of his stupor. "Arisato-san, I'm joking. I'm joking. The gods are on our side."

"That's only for now. Any moment, they'd aband-" He sighed. And gone was the hateful veneer. "Not my world. Not my world."

* * *

The power was gone.

Rachel felt it the strongest. Like something within her was being crushed. Or was it the Oracle within her?

But alas it was gone.

And she tuned in to Hestia and Dionysus' speech.

* * *

Īsan saw Drew stare at him with a look that said, 'you fix this. Now.'

"Anyway, what do you think about the upcoming Bunkasai?"

He saw Drew roll her eyes. But chipped in, "Our class is doing an information booth. It was Arisato-san here who suggested it."

"Really?" Īsan's replied was overly enthusiastic, which made Drew roll her eyes again. Their attempts at small talk was met with Minato's unreadable silence.

The old lady appearing again saved them, "Sorry for the wait," she shoved them a plate of fried dumplings. "On the house!" She let out a satisfied smile.

Minato turned to the old lady and smiled. "Thank you."

Īsan, and Drew even though she'll deny it later, let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

"We are in need envoys."

The unkempt Dionysus was gone. Or rather the drunken stupor that he usually wore was gone, in its place was a [God]. Self-assured and Divine. A meld of Mercy and Cruelty.

Hestia was quiet for a moment before speaking:

"[Zagreus]"

The two looked at each other, before nodding.

"Exalt, for a festival draws near!"


	4. Chapter 4

"…well, that was… a whole lot of nothing." Leo said after the two gods vanished from the meeting.

"After something like _that_ , who wouldn't tuck tail and run?" Lou explained.

"You felt it too?" Rachel asked.

"Who didn't?" Jason leaned back on his seat. "I've never seen gods like that cower in fear."

"Someone doesn't want the gods interfering in this…" Annabeth signaled to all around, "…meeting, I guess?"

"Well, at the very least, Hestia and Dionysus agree that we need to take this prophecy seriously."

"But… a prophecy about a celebration?" Piper said, massaging her temple, "We just have to send envoys there?"

"That would be the easy part." Annabeth said, "The hard part's getting there."

Chiron looked pensive. "Perhaps…"

All eyes turned to him.

He looked at them, "We can call one of us who lives there."

* * *

Drew was the first to exit the ramen-ya. Īsan had thanked the chef and had given praise for the ramen, to which the elderly couple looked happy about.

"I have work," Minato said, "here, I mean."

"Oh," Īsan said, "Well, I guess see you tomorrow."

Outside, Īsan saw Drew having an eye-to-eye with two women. They looked familiar-

* * *

Chiron had summoned a rainbow, a drachma in hand.

"I think it's around 7 or 8 there, so I guess we can call her now." Annabeth said.

The centaur nodded and threw the golden coin.

* * *

"Drew," Sadie Kane's acknowledgement was curt.

"Sadie." Drew's reply was equally cool.

Zia cleared her throat. "We heard that the [Exalted One] worked here."

Drew shrugged, "Yeah. He works here."

Sadie felt jittery. Or rather, the goddess within her felt giddy.

But something nagged within her. [Mist] was starting to gather around them.

Drew wanted to keep her eyes on Sadie, who treated her with apprehension. The Brit's only had their interactions at school as base reference, which was understandable. The time with the anomaly doesn't count because their interaction was, to say the least, transactional there.

But a rainbow appeared between them. _Oh, an Iris Message_.

Looking around, _The [Mist]_ _is…_

The Message pushed through and Chiron's face came to her view. "Excuse me."

* * *

"Customers?" Minato asked, emerging from the kitchen in casual clothes and an apron. He scrunched his eyes. "I know you two."

He saw Drew turn to the side and disappear in an alley.

"We'd like an audience with you." Zia said with caution.

"I have work." Minato said tilting his head. "I have a lot of work today."

Sadie peeks into the shop, deserted. "Yeah?"

Minato let out an exhale before turning. "Order something." Minato guided the two girls into the same table where he ate his ramen with his schoolmates.

"Huh?"

"You want to use my time? You want to use [Mist] to turn away customers? You order something." Minato said.

"Drew is the one who manipulated the [Mist]," Īsan quipped. "Not really, the person who called her did."

Minato turned to Īsan, "What?"

Īsan shrugged.

Minato tightened the knot of his apron, "Īsan, I thought you were going home?"

He shrugged again. "I'm curious."

"Order something then." He said before entering the kitchen.

* * *

"Is he in a bad mood?" Zia asked in English, sitting down.

Īsan nodded. "He doesn't like prophecies."

"Who does?" Sadie asked, sitting down. Looking around, "I can't read Japanese."

"More importantly, what's this about prophecies?" Zia asked.

"Why'd you need to know?"

* * *

"This is… interesting." Drew's reply was bland. As much as she was happy that Chiron had called her, the people behind him made her realize that this wasn't the type of call that she wanted. "Don't know you, don't know you, Oracle but never learned your name, Annabeth, Jason, I think I've seen you before from Hermes' cabin, you could do with a better hairstyle but it's better than before, and…" She didn't even give Piper another glance.

"Whoa! I knew from rumors she was a bitch but-" said the person Drew designated as 'don't know person #1'.

"I kinda like that from her." she heard from the one from Hermes' cabin.

"It's currently way past my curfew," Drew said, checking her wristwatch, "Be quick."

"You have a curfew?" Piper's voice was mocking and in disbelief.

Again, Drew didn't bother with her, "I can only suspect it's because of Arisato-san. I mean why would _I_ be receiving an Iris Message from you guys now of all times?"

"You didn't need to be that obvious with the displeasure." Annabeth crossed her arms, but a smile was on her lips. "His name is Arisato?"

"Nice to see you too, Annabeth." Drew flipped her hair. But the acknowledgement there. It's Annabeth, and Drew's always seen Annabeth as the gold standard to how a demigod should be. But judging the people around her, Annabeth's probably the most _senpai_ in the entire Camp now. And to think, a generation ago, she was considered one of the youngest.

"The boy from before, _that_ Arisato, he's a messiah?" Chiron asked.

Drew shrugged, "I have a suspicion that he is _the_ Messiah. With a capital 'M'. And don't be surprised, you saw what he was capable, right?"

* * *

Chiron had heard Drew's plea. Had seen her descending to her doom. _Not on my watch_. He entered the portal and the feeling of gravity doing it's thing came to his being. He turned around and saw the starry sky. The _constellations_ were cheering for him.

_This is…_

_This power is…_

_Antiquity made manifest._

_His body…_

Gone was the phantom pain that plagued his body. Remnants of the deadly poison running through his veins were replaced with unexplainable vigor and strength.

_His body… was glowing._

But that didn't matter. Drew, his student, needed assistance.

Like a star descending, he swooped in and grabbed his student and the boy she had in her arms.

* * *

Drew tilted her head. "And you also saw who we fought against. And without him-

* * *

"I don't know what's happening." A bow that wasn't there earlier was in his hands. A special kind of bow because it was-

A [Miracle]

The isn't an artificial manifestation of the [Mystery Phenomena]. This is his entire being condensed in a single unit. And it empowered him.

This bow, while a projection of his reality and the crystallization of his legend, was at the same time the- he looked up.

There he was, ready to snipe the great Scorpion. His [Symbol of Power]. But at the same time, the bow in his hands were one and the same.

"Hostiles!" Drew warned from behind, riding him horseback.

Running on this terrain was difficult. They were in a ruined city. But oddly, no cries of help or any deaths. There were the eerie coffins around, but the eeriest of all was the great moon and its green hue.

He could feel the power too, someone strong was fighting something strong from afar. That is probably what Drew was indicating. But they were slowed down because his centurian physiology wasn't made for running through urban disasters. So he leapt.

And when he was descending, the _stars_ decided to help. Their presence were there, even the great beast that was his enemy. Fellow constellations both friend, foe and acquaintance supported him. They made a road from starlight.

_A road of starlight?_

Magical yet concrete, whimsical yet robust. Their purpose? Navigation. A hoof stepped on the makeshift road. Followed by another. Then another. And then he was galloping forward.

As he rushed through the night sky, something ominous was nearing them. The constellations hissed and roared and cursed at it. _A literal sea of shadows?_ This is what Drew was fighting against?

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

On instinct, he readied a shot. "Enemies?" Odd though was the absence of fear. His newfound strength made him feel invincible- _immortal?_

"For sure. Fire away, Chiron." Drew said with an assuredness that surprised him.

"If you were this serious about training, Drew…" he let loose his arrow. And a comet burst forth from his shot.

"So bright!" He heard Drew gasp from behind, "Warn me next time you do that."

A hole appeared in the sea of shadows. "I did that?" His mouth was agape. This was his newfound power? Or _rediscovered_ power? _Remembered_ power? Power before the poison? No, he is stronger than before. Stronger than he's ever been.

"We're in an anomaly, and besides, I'm pretty sure that if Arisato-san's involved, nothing's impossible."

 _Who? More importantly_ , "Even that?"

"That's the-"

* * *

This will be the first time, in all the years Rachel has been in camp, to interact with Drew.

"The αντίΧριστός, would've have been a major threat if it weren't for him." Drew said to Chiron nonchalantly. "And you saw how easy it was for him to defeat it."

"I don't speak Greek. What was that again?"

"αντίΧριστός," Annabeth said, with a deep sigh. "Roughly translates to the 'antichrist'." She perked up, "Wait, did you just say he defeated the antichrist?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Leo Valdez chimed in, "Wait, as in, like, bible antichrist?"

Drew shrugged, "Could be, but that's what it called itself, and yes, Arisato-san defeated it. Just ask Chiron."

"You can't be serious?" Piper asked, "Chiron, is that true?"

Chiron nodded, "It might seem implausible, and yet it's the truth. I was there. Drew and I even helped in defeating it."

"Man, Japan must be in some weird shit if you guys are up against _that_ of all things." Mike said.

"Not weirder than you contacting me now, of all times. But enough chitchat, talk."

Jason cleared his throat and began to explain.

* * *

"I'm sorry," Zia said, "but who are you again?"

"Oh! You were one of the people who Drew was trying to protect." Sadie said.

The boy had an eyepatch, his fringe keeping his one good eye unreadable. "Yes, yes." He took a seat on a different table, but close enough that Zia and Sadie could converse with him comfortably.

" _Ara-_ " an old lady wearing the same apron as the [Exalted One]'s came forward. She and the boy started a conversation, but seeing as how Zia doesn't understand the language, she is only able to pick-up the conversation via visual cues. And by the embarrassed look on the boy, the lady is probably asking some pretty embarrassing things.

"Come to think of it," Zia began, "He spoke to us in English earlier, right?"

"Who?" Sadie wondered. "Oh, you mean, that Arisato guy, right?"

" _Arisato?_ " The old lady turned to them.

* * *

"So you think that there's something in Japan that needs investigating?" Drew summarized.

"That's what we want to know." Annabeth said. "Something about a celebration."

"There really isn't anything special going on here, from what I can gather." Drew said. "And I'm also not sure what you need me for in all of this."

"Well, we just need you to guide our envoys around when they get there." Jason said.

"And how are you so sure that Arisato's the person you're looking for?" Drew asked.

"It's what we've got. And besides, with the gods spooked earlier, I'm pretty sure this supersedes the need to focus of the Seven Prophecy." Annabeth said. "Who knows, maybe this Arisato person knows something about what's going on."

"I don't like this," Drew crossed her arms, "Did you just say the gods are spooked?"

"If you help us, I'd say we're even now." Annabeth and Drew shared a look. "Wait, you didn't feel that ominous power earlier Drew?" Annabeth asked.

Piper tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "She's halfway across the globe, Annabeth, it's not like she-"

"Oh, that? I guess that was Arisato- _san_ 's fault." Drew didn't even let Piper finish. "He hates prophecies apparently."

"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked.

"More than that, he _caused_ that?" The boy who needed a better haircut asked.

"You can go and ask him yourself, if you want?" Drew said, walking towards the ramen-ya. The [Mist] was pretty thick today here, and since not a lot of people were nearby, and the yokai didn't seem to mind her, she doubt that she stood out right now. "He's nearby."

"Could we? I think that'll be real helpful-

* * *

"Nervous?" Frank had noticed Percy had been looking up at the sky longingly. They were in the training area, just before breakfast.

"More like anxious." Percy smiled wryly at him.

"Of course, he is, it's the first time he'll see his girlfriend since getting here." Hazel said, coming towards them, a mischievous smile on her face. "I'd want to wake up early just to meet my significant other too just in case they arrive early, if it were me."

Percy let out a laugh, "Yeah. But also because I couldn't really sleep. Making the two sides meet is making me…" he sighed.

Hazel nodded thoughtfully. "I believe it will work. We'll be there, after all."

"When you say it like that, it makes me wanna make it come true." Frank said.

Hazel smiled at Frank before turning to Percy. "Reyna wants to see you,"

"I hope it's not about that… _feeling_ earlier." The boy with sea green eyes said.

"Yeah, what was that?" Frank asked.

"Beats me," Hazel shrugged, "I kinda heard Reyna and Octavian talk about it earlier."

"Really?" Percy asked. "What did you hear?"

"Nothing much," Hazel said, "But I did hear Octavian ask Reyna for a _second opinion_."

Frank let out a low whistle.

"What?" Percy looked between them, "What does that mean?"

"A second opinion is where-" Hazel began, a smile creeping on her face.

"I know what second opinion is," Percy said with a fake scowl.

Frank laughed but turned serious, "Percy, augurs are… important people."

Hazel nodded, "Yes. But Frank's downplaying it. Augurs are one of the most influential people here. Would you like to take a guess why?"

"Because they can see the future?"

"Technically, yes." She smiled. "Um, let's put it this way: what if you were in a position where your power could literally be used to the betterment of society, what would you do?"

"I'd want to use my power as much as I can." Percy said.

Frank nodded.

Hazel sighed before smiling, "I am so happy that both of you are good but you guys are also naïve." She looped her arms on their necks and dragged them closer, "You use them to your advantage. Get the leg up in society."

She looked them in the eye. "What that means in augurs is that they'll be very protective of their readings. They would give just enough to not question the legitimacy of a reading, just enough that we can create a plan to do something, but not too much that the grip the augur has on that political power loosens."

"So by asking for Reyna's help, Octavian is essentially… giving away too much?"

Hazel nodded, "But let's talk later. Reyna really needs to talk to you."

* * *

"Just ramen?" Minato asked, English impeccable. The old lady was really at awe at him being able to speak it fluently and was happy to leave two girls (and Īsan) there with him.

"We're just students." Drew said, looking sheepish.

"We're _all_ students." Minato replied with a gruff.

"I don't…" Zia wanted to correct him, but saw the unhappy look on his face. In a mousy voice, "I don't go to school."

"Arisato-san, we're aren't in a _tsundere_ café." Īsan quipped, smiling.

"Excuse me," Drew entered the ramen-ya again. "Ah, shit."

* * *

Chiron looked as the Iris Message was cut short. The rainbow was still there, but it was like watching static on tv.

"The hell?" Leo asked, "What happened?"

"I've never seen an Iris Message do that." Annabeth added.

* * *

"What just happened?" The rainbow was gone. Drew felt someone's gaze on her.

Minato was looking at her with a slight frown, but the aura, "What did I do?"

The boy crossed his arms, "I. Am. Working."

The [Mist] suddenly dissipated around them.

"If you wanted to talk to me about something," he turned around, "You will do it on _my_ free time."

A sweat dropped on her cheek, "Okay, I can take a hint." She laughed, because while Minato is mad, it's not like he would do something harmful to her, or anyone for that matter. He has that air about it. "See you at school tomorrow then."

With the [Mist] gone, people started to enter the establishment.

Īsan leaned over to the two House of Life girls, "Better luck next time, I guess."

* * *

"…this is something no augur has ever seen before. I'll try asking around later too." This was Octavian's voice. There was the voice crack when he said 'augur', but it was unmistakable.

Percy slowed down his pace.

"Why are you asking _me_ then, if you'll be asking others later?" Reyna's voice wasn't irritated per se, but she didn't sound nice either.

"You've apprenticed to Circe before. I figured you would know _something_."

"I wasn't formally inducted as an initiate for her cabal. I was too young."

"But that doesn't mean you don't know anything."

Reyna was silent for a moment. "I got nothing, Octavian. I'm being honest." She sighed, "Percy, it's impolite to eavesdrop on people."

Percy made a face. And wanted the ground to swallow him whole. "…sorry." He entered the praetor's office with eyes on the floor.

Reyna cleared her throat, "Um, perhaps you would know, Percy?"

That made Octavian cross his arms, "like a Greek would know."

Percy automatically wanted to retort, but Reyna had stepped between them. "Octavian has foreseen something… weird."

"Weird?"

"To put it in best terms, something unusual." Reyna said.

"That's what weird means." Octavian said under his breath, which earned a eyeroll from her.

"Anyway, would you know something about the [East]? Or any celebration going on there?"

* * *

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?" the boy looked to his side. A girl his age was looking at the drawing of his next invention.

He felt his face turn hot. "Nothing. It's nothing." He turned the paper where he was drawing his latest work around, and placed his hands firmly on it.

"Really?" He saw her tilt her head. She had pale skin, but her facial features reminded her of the actors and actresses from the DVD shows her babysitter watched. Those... _kdramas? Whatever that means._

"Uhuh." Wait. "Are you new? I know all of the kids here, and I've never seen you before."

"Yeah." The girl nodded. "I just arrived earlier, my mom said I'll be spending time here for a bit."

"Oh," well everyone here had different stories. At least her mom dropped her here. To him, his gym teacher, who turned out to be a satyr, snuck him here.

The knapsack on her back that looked bigger and taller than her made him believe it. "Have you already met Chiron?"

The girl nodded frantically, "Oh, oh! Yeah! He has a pony body! My mom and I were shocked."

"He's a centaur." He felt smart telling her that to her. Of course Athena kids were smarter than him, but can they make a ketchup bomb launcher?

"Centaur..." The girl repeated.

"Yeah, someone who is half-human, half-horse." He pointed at the empty seat beside him, "Oh, have you eaten breakfast yet? I really like the pancakes here. But you can just ask for whatever. Have you been claimed yet? Do you know anyone here?"

"Uhm..." the girl fidgeted.

The boy stopped. "Oh, uhm. Sorry. Big bro Jake tells me that I talk a lot." He picked up his drawing, folded it quickly and placed it in his pocket. "I'm Harley. I'm from the Hephaestus' Cabin."

The girl nodded, shrugging her knapsack and placing it beside her. "I'm Alice. I don't know what Hephaestus' Cabin is, but I'm new here."

And, as if on cue, something appeared above her head. It glowed. It shined.

"What's happening?" Alice was obviously worried, upset even.

Harley wanted to calm her down, "it's okay. You're getting claimed. Don't worry. It's okay, you're just getting claimed."

He saw:

"The caduceus."


	5. Chapter 5

"This year's Bunkasai is a nightmare."

Mayu was looking at the list of events for the Bunkasai.

There were at least three different highlights on three different areas of the school campus at almost every hour of the event. Like at 10AM Day 1, there would be the 'Iron Chef Battle' event at the school's baseball field, a junior edition of 'Into the Woods' at the school gymnasium, _and_ a live orchestra at the amphitheater.

Then there are the many, _many_ cafes and food stalls the classes and clubs are putting up. Since their class has taken the mantle of doing the publicity for specific areas of the event, most of the classes and clubs that have decided to do food have begun to send their version of 'must taste' to the class. _Free taste_ , they said, but Mayu knew better. They were competing in getting featured on a brochure that would for sure be given free at the event, which meant free publicity. And free publicity is just as good as word-of-mouth in Bunkasais.

On the bright side, for days now, there was free food. But _so much_ free food in that they'd begun to display the food on _two_ unoccupied tables ala buffet style.

Mayu had even started to bring disposable cutlery because the amount of food wasn't meant to be consumed by a small committee of four people. Besides, she wasn't about to let those who tried to nibble on the food go unnoticed, she'd interview them as a sort of second opinion just incase Mayu started to doubt her and the committee's tastebuds.

The teachers had even asked about the table of free food on the unoccupied desk, and it's gotten to a point where the class has managed to rope in their teachers as some sort of food consultants – a perspective for the older generation, if you will. Where these clubs were getting the funding to send all this free food, well, it's not from the school budget, that much is guaranteed by Taichi.

And _still_ there were too much food.

"Ah," Ayato came to her, "Mayu-san, we'll be submitting the draft of our brochure after class."

She, without looking at him, nodded. "Sure, sure."

"Hey," Ayato started, looking around, "Uhm, can you perhaps-"

Suzu emerged from his back, hair pulled into a ponytail, "Ayato-kun~" Despite smiling and bare faced, there was a glint of evilness in her eyes, "What did we tell the entire class about asking favors to the main committee?"

Because of nepotism and cronyism, a few of Mayu's classmates like Ayato have tried to negotiate that she feature their friend's or club's booth in their brochure.

Mayu wasn't a pushover by any means, but when you get hounded on during your free time to taste their samples or to check their rehearsals or get your DMs flooded by people who only wanted to chat you for getting featured in the brochure, your thick skin gets chipped. It was so bad that it's gotten to a point where Mayu's 'committee of four' have been restructured into 'Mayu and her assistants' because those of her group have been harassed too and that Mayu, not wanting to burden her friends, volunteered herself as the group's scapegoat should further harassment ensue. She'd also gone off the grid in social media just to avoid getting DMed. _You couldn't say I haven't seen your DMs if I deactivated my account, right?_

Fortunately, Mayu had her friends to keep her sane and _not_ hated. Drew had donned her _tsuntsun_ persona and had been very good at repelling any strangers that tried to approach her during school hours. Suzu-chan had been _very_ effective in deflecting acquaintances and friends from using their relationship with Mayu to negotiate a better feature in the brochure – without souring most of Mayu's friendships with these people, mind you! And Taichi-kun had leveraged his position as student council member to block senpais and club leaders from abusing their power to control her.

People have commented that Mayu and Drew were like an impenetrable fortress in protecting Suzu from unwanted suitors, but during the Bunkasai, they were also realizing that Suzu and Drew was a different duo altogether – most people wanting to talk to Mayu hadn't realized that her two friends had guided them by the door without them realizing that they had yet to talk to Mayu about their plans for the brochure. You were already roadkill without you realizing it.

Minato-kun was also there to diffuse situations in the rare case where they tried an all-out assault.

"Uh," Ayato had sheepishly excused himself once Suzu's subtle verbal thrashing had done its course on him. "Yeah, okay. Uh, I'll send the draft later."

Suzu let out a _humph!_ once the class representative is gone. "He's part of the literature club, right?"

Mayu laughed, "Be nice, I'm sure his _senpais_ have pressured him into talking to me about their booth."

Drew guided Suzu back to her seat, a makeup sponge on hand, "Really? What're they doing for their booth?"

Mayu turned to her list, "A reenactment of a Japanese folklore at Day 2 and an anthology for 200 yen. But I think they priced it too much, it should've been 185 yen, if you ask me." From a pile of drafts sent to the class, she brought out the literature club's anthology. "I mean, it's pretty, I am not gonna deny that. The cover art is amazing. Even some of the art sprinkled throughout. But it's the content for me. It's too little."

Drew pumped her foundation into her palm, and double checked if it matched Suzu's. "Well, it _is_ a draft."

"Yeah, I guess you are right." Drew has a point. Mayu was here to recommend what to visit for the Bunkasai.

"I can't understand why I can't do my own make-up?" Suzy deflated as Drew started her craft.

"You can but I'm just faster."

Mayu turned to her two friends, "Yeah, we _are_ on a deadline." She turned to the other girls in room, most of whom were hastily conscripted in applying make-up on their 'models'.

"I can't tell if you are crazy or a genius," Taichi said, looking around as he entered the room. Some of their classmates were already setting up the 'set' that is their classroom.

Mayu laughed, "Go big or go home. Besides, I felt bad for all these food being sent to us and most of it isn't gonna be made into the brochure."

"The teachers are expecting great things from us now that we've officially started preparing for the Bunkasai." Ayato said, passing them by, carrying a desk. He placed it near the wall, with all the others, stacked together to create room for the set.

"Our first video had ten _thousand_ views. That's more than all the videos our school's official multimedia club is able to garner with their YouTube channel." Taichi said as he helped Ayato move seats to the side.

Mayu shrugged, "Please, that's mostly due to Drew's online influence. She posted it on her socials so most of those curious were from her followers. We'll get a good grasp of our numbers once we put up more vids. Can you imagine a Bunkasai catering to numbers like that? We'd get the festival cancelled."

Drew was tapping a fluffy brush on her make-up palette. "Huh? I heard my name."

"Can I open my eyes now?" Suzy asked.

Drew looked at her, "Not yet."

Mayu and Taichi laughed at their friends' antics. "Getting too viral won't help anyone in our festival in the long run, so I've asked Drew to only be more active behind the camera."

"And I can tell she's happier that way." Taichi commented. Mayu had to agree, because she can tell that Drew felt burdened when most of the comments they got from the video were from Drew stans. "You're very smart too, wanting to showcase _everyone_ fairly. This whole video idea would've-"

There was a knock on the door. Mayu saw Minato and Kenta enter. "Oh, the camera's here."

"I guess I gotta go." Taichi said, "the student council wants our list of booths and events."

That made Drew turn away from her 'canvas'. "No, you're not." She turned to Kenta. "Kenta, can you submit the list to the student council? Taichi here is going to be our model today."

Kenta had a smirk, "Sure." Mayu handed the list to Kenta.

Sure, it was a bit annoying that the student council was piggybacking off of the class' efforts, but the student council didn't have the networking skills of Suzu, Taichi and Minato combined. Mayu was just the tactician who planned and delegated, the real power of this class lay on her 'generals'. Didn't hurt that Ayato was also seen as the next student council president for the next school year, so when those four started asking around, they didn't get much pushback.

She had a representative for the popular kids in Suzu, a representative for the _senpai_ s in Taichi who had been interacting with the older years since their freshmen year, a representative to the other classes in the form Ayato and his good reputation, and Minato to represent everyone else.

What was weird was how most of the student body were convinced that they needed Mayu's class' help in advertising. Then again this may have to do with their video getting viral and the students wanting to get some of the limelight ftom their class' video. Maybe.

"Noooo! I'm too shy, I can't!"

Drew rolled her eyes. "Once I'm done with Suzu and done checking the make-up of the others, I'm doing your face. I've also asked Mayu to send your mom a text that you wouldn't be eating dinner home tonight."

"It couldn't be that bad," Minato said as he helped in sweeping the floors, "It's just muhkbang. And you talking for a bit."

"And the more you dally, the harder you're gonna make it for our editors. We're on a deadline" Drew reminded.

* * *

"Oh my gods," All the kids in the cabin turned to the girl who had shouted in gleeful surprise.

Lacy, a young tween girl with blonde hair, recognized who it was. "What is it Carrie?"

It was after a particularly tough Capture the Flag. And even a team-building activity wasn't able to mend the rift her beloved cabin.

Tensions between the two factions in the Aphrodite Cabin had deescalated to a certain degree ever since Drew's self-imposed exile, but it was still there. There was a literal divide between the cabin, punctuated with Drew's minions camping near the bathrooms, and Piper's faction staying near the exit.

Piper has her group that Drew's called 'Not Like Other Girls' and while Piper's… er… _not-minions_ called the other 'Basic Bitches.' There was no unity, but then again it was way better than when Drew was here. The catty exchanges, the negging, the _shade_ … The tea wasn't spilt here, the _damn_ kettle was hurled across the room smeared in skin care products and spite.

Lacy was technically one of the, no… Lacy, despite being a tween was _the_ most tenured kid in the cabin and was thankfully free from being shackled into any of the factions because of that fact. In fact, she was the only one who interacted with Drew's minions despite being very close to Piper herself.

"It's Drew!" Carrie was one of the older kids, but she only arrived here after Lacy's 2nd year here. Carrie's side of the room squealed.

"Drew? Really"  
"Oh my gosh, seriously?"  
"Huh? What's this about Drew?"

Lacy quickly scooted over to Carrie's bed and sandwiched her face between the others, looking over Carrie's shoulder, her smartphone in her hands.

* * *

The screen had Drew on the thumbnail.

The first scene was a male in a school uniform carrying a notebook that had captions – with English subtitles. It explained that their school's cultural festival was near. The headless male, as evidenced by the frame focusing on the notebook he held instead of his face, turned a page of the notebook. The next page explained that the male student's class was going to showcase the many different events happening in their festival.

Followed by a fast-paced montage of kids doing something. Things like a quick timeskip of a stage being built on a baseball field, quick shots of teens carrying scaled models of vessels by the school's pool, a bunch of theater-looking kids goofing off and creating set pieces and shot after shot _after_ shot of food.

Then after even more quick jumpcuts, the scene settled on Drew and other teens.

* * *

"What do you suppose this is?" Dely asked, her face with a drying clay mask.

"Beats me," Lacy shrugged. On the screen Drew began to speak.

"Holy shit, she speaks Japanese fluently!" Lachlan, a teen who associated more with Drew's minions than to Pipers, exclaimed.

"Do you know what she's saying? The subs are too small for me to read." Dely said.

"Wait, Drew's… eating. The fuck?"

* * *

Drew stepped back from her masterpiece, "Taichi-kun…"

Suzu heard Drew _almost_ catch feelings. Her friend had called Taichi in the most female lead voice Suzu's ever heard. Still, Suzu got curious as to why Drew swooned. "Oh my God. Taichi-kun…"

Granted their student council classmate had the qualities that could make him as an _bishounen_ (a cut jawline, thick eyebrows, a double eyelid that flattered his face shape, and a bright smile) but Taichi's only placed the bare minimum in aesthetics. _But his bare minimum is enough to propel him as one of the hottest guys in school._

The other conscripted MUAs noticed Drew and Suzu standing there. Curious, they began to clump together.

The natural make-up style made his decently clear skin look even more porcelain, like it's been airbrushed. His brows had been tamed, with Drew using a razor to fix its shape, framing his face even better – _perfectly._ Bronzer made his jawline even _sharper._ And his lips, lightly dabbed with Drew's lip tint, made it so _kissable._

"Holy shit." One of their female classmates summarized.

It was the unspoken truth that their class was blessed with a disproportionate amount of _bishounens_. Notables were Minato-kun, Ayato-kun… even Shuhei fit the bad boy archetype, and contrary to Drew's opinion, the unbleached roots looked cool on Shuhei. The problem was the fact that Shuhei liked to use a hairband to pull his hair back.

But all of them paled in comparison to the potential S _-_ Class _bishies_ that were Kenta and Taichi. Kenta was the athletic cutie who had an unpolished charm that made him even more alluring, couple that with his 'man of few words' persona – quite literally a chef's kiss. And Taichi? Taichi was unofficially _the_ campus heartthrob, well for their year at least. ' _Ouji-sama_ ' was the moniker he'd earned from the student body.

Suzu's hand found Drew's shoulder, "Drew-chan… _what_ have you done?"

That was enough to get Drew out of her stupor, "Uh… studs. I need the magnetic studs!"

"Can I open my eyes now?" Taichi asked.

"Noooooo!" the females yelled in unison.

Drew found the earings. "Not yet." She placed two on an ear, one of the lobe and one on the fossa.

Suzu made sure to fix his hair. Good thing Drew made sure to not use hairspray because part of Taichi's charm is the black hair that moved with him.

Drew tilted Taichi's head up and used a fluffy brush to wipe away some fallout of the eye shadow that she's used. "Okay Taichi, you can open your eyes now."

Two russet eyes fluttered open.

"Kyaaaaaaahhh!"

* * *

The screaming got the class' attention.

Mayu turned to the literal mob that formed around… _Taichi-kun?_

"What?" Taichi was taken aback by attention.

"Holy shit, Taichi," Suzu said, "I knew you were cute but… _you're hot._ " her friend turned to her, "Like _super_ hot. Right, Mayu?"

* * *

It was supposed to be a normal video targeted for their age group.

Five classmates from class were about to give a food review just like morning TV. It's a tried-and-tested formula, albeit a bit too mainstream and basic.

Mayu had asked their classmates to be a bit more exaggerated in their reactions, especially since this was more of a PR stunt than an actual review. The post-production elements like the on-screen texts, the sound effects and the audience reactions would be added later, so all their classmates would have to do was be candid but a bit more animated.

The camera was loaned from an acquaintance through the film studies club through Suzu's connections. It's an older camera, but it's good enough that it can record HD footage.

The HD footage definitely made their classmates' and class' visual imperfections standout, though Mayu didn't notice anything out of it.

But since this would be posted on the internet, which meant that this would be scrutinized by the internet, she had to take that feedback in.

There's a fine line between being too produced and being watchable. They wouldn't be relatable if it's too produced and people wouldn't want to visit the Bunkasai if it's too candid. They needed to entice just enough that people would want to come, but not be too professional in that people see through the façade.

So they scrapped the pilot footage, and redid everything from the ground up the next day. Fortunately, they started with cafeteria food being eaten as the testing phase so no food from clubs or classes were wasted.

The set committee had tidied an area of the class to produce a clean but visually appealing, aesthetic-enough-ish backdrop. She'd roped in the make-up savvy people of class to make the people appearing in camera to appear more polished – though Drew took the mantle of deciding what theme they needed to project (to looking natural, so that their video would be timeless and not of-the-current-trend-looking).

At first, the class selected Drew as the face for their campaigns, seeing as she had the online following (albeit not in the six digits). Their first footage was from Drew and four other classmates huddled in the teacher's desk eating a parfait from a nearby class.

Drew was a natural: she gave the right facial expressions of amazement, made it look and sound like she was tasting really good food, _and_ was able to pull out candid and complimentary responses from her other classmates on camera. She didn't hog the attention, her presence did that already, but her actions and reactions made all the others shine. It was quite literally the glue that bound everything together.

In fact, when they reviewed the finished video, a 20-minute video condescend from a 45-minute shooting, Mayu had thought that their classmates have established a character. It was amazing.

And then they wake-up to ten thousand views.

In the grand scheme of things, numbers like that were nothing, but it was a lot for a Bunkasai of a relatively normal school. The comments from their video were…

Drew had been extremely apologetic: she'd shared the video on her social media and it became a hot topic overnight. Mayu had decided to do damage control and has instructed Drew to simply delete her post.

So, with their micro-influencer shelved because the influence Drew was able to wield was not something the class could control, they had to recast by tapping on their other classmates.

"Are you sure about this?" Taichi said as he was made to sit in the center of the shot.

Mayu nodded, "Yes, you'll do fine. Just be… _charming_." Her friend nodded unsure, making his glossy hair move endearingly. _Damn, Taichi is so…_

She looked over the shoulder of the person in charge of manning their camera, "Suzu, can you move just a little bit of the right?"

* * *

The second video was more polished that their pilot video. Definitely.

After watching the first video, where Drew basically just ate food, most of the others were too tired to binge other episodes. Except Lacy.

She huddled on her phone, ready to watch another video, posted a few hours ago. In the thumbnail was a very good-looking guy.

Clicking on the video, she watched as the same people from the previous video (except Drew) ate food. Drew was replaced by the same good-looking guy from the thumbnail.

She didn't understand what they were saying, and with the subs not yet up (they'll be up later according to the pinned comment) Lacy hasn't got a clue what they were saying.

Except for a key word they kept on repeating and flashing on the screen:

新宝島  
Shin Takarajima

* * *

Reyna was at an impasse.

On one hand, the traditionalists weren't making too much of a fuss with the imminent arrival of the Greeks, but they were too silent. Reyna could only guess that it was probably because of Octavian's odd reading. But, again, they were too silent.

Percy and the others were training and preparing a place to receive the Greeks but other than that, nothing much.

It was an uncomfortable lull because the only thing they could do was _wait._

Wait, knowing that something big was brewing from afar.  
Wait and prepare for the worst.  
Wait and see.

Then there was the [East].

"I'm saying, we need someone out there, investigating whatever it is that's happening on the [East]." Octavian wanted to send a small detachment out, but Reyna was the one with reservations.

"But right when the Greeks are just about to arrive?" Reyna quickly regretted her words because Octavian picked that up.

"So you agree?" There was the very, very thin smidge of passive-aggressiveness in his tone, which made Reyna all the more annoyed at herself.

"No that's not what I meant-"

"So you _do_ doubt the Greeks." Octavian let out a small sigh, "But that is neither here nor there. We _need_ someone out there."

They were in her office, Octavian on her second day of convincing her to approve a quest, but just like before-

_knock knock_

"Excuse me," and without pause the door opened and in came someone… "You're-"

Octavian raised a brow, "Gwen?"

The retired Centurion looked out of breath. "Octavian… she-" Looking like she had been running for quite a long time, "You're not gonna believe this but… Phia-"

* * *

Percy knew something was amiss when he entered the training grounds and notice the older kids were chatting amongst themselves, odder was when inter-cohort conversations were happening between said older kids.

He found Frank and Hazel doing warm-up exercises. They too were having a deep conversation. Percy cleared his throat. "Is something going on today?"

Hazel shrugged, "Beats me, but the older kids are acting strangely."

Frank was stretching his shoulders, "Of course they are, if the rumors are to be believed."

"Why, what's going on?"

"Someone that shouldn't be awake is now awake."

* * *

Gwen had rushed to them bearing the news.

"That's impossible," Octavian, Gwen saw his face turned hopeful – just for a second – but it turned stone cold again.

"Believe me," Gwen let out an exhale, "I was there. I was visiting her because of-"

* * *

Reyna studied the two. Octavian and Gwen were one of more senior campers, having served here since childhood.

In all the years since Reyna's served in the camp, she's always seen them as two people on opposing sides: Octavian was the poster boy for the traditionalists while Gwen was an avid and vocal supporter of non-traditionalists.

This interaction between them felt like a glimpse a shared history that Reyna was unaware off.

"Why now of all times?" Octavian whispered under his breath, but the tone in his voice was defeated. But also, in relief. "Is she… well?"

Gwen crossed her arms, "We're going to see her. She specifically wanted to meet you."

That steeled his face but then he relented. He turned to her, "We'll have to continue this conversation later."

Gwen shook her head, "That's also why I'm here."

* * *

Harley saw the girl again during breakfast. Actually, that was the only time Harley was able to see anyone who wasn't his cabinmates because of finetuning Festus – with her maiden voyage so close.

"Hey Harley." She waved at him as he was about to walk towards his cabin's table.

"Morning Alice." He smiled, "How's the Hermes cabin treating you?"

The girl shrugged, "It was alright."

There was a pause as both of them walked side-by-side. Hermes' and Hepheastus' tables were not far from each other so they were kinda forced to walk together.

"I don't see you around much."

Harley tilted his head, "That's because we're working to finish Festus."

Alice made an 'o' look with her mouth. "I heard that from my cabinmates. They said we'll be riding that to the other camp."

"Yeah." Harley said lamely.

He felt eyes on him. _Those are the Aphrodite kids…_ They were smiling at him -them?- and had a knowing looking on their faces.

_I'm eight, and crushes are not my thing. Though Alice is nice and- Crap, even Nyssa's making the same face._

"…ter?"

"Huh?"

Alice giggled, "I said, 'maybe I can check you guys later?'"

* * *

On the way, the ran into Dakota, who Gwen, without pausing, silently dragged him along.

"We're meeting Phia." Gwen said as if that explained it.

Reyna looked at Dakota as he did a double-take before nodding, "Sure, I guess."

"She's awake now," Octavian said.

That made Dakota turn to him, "Oh really?" Then Dakota had an almost sorry look at his face. "Are you going to be okay?"

Octavian didn't reply.

Reyna was getting more curious as to who this Phia person is. The Fifth Cohort were acting buddy-buddy to the bane of their existence. In fact, both Gwen and Dakota were worried _for_ Octavian.

They met up with a few of the older kids, Gwen easily dragging the centurions of even members of the Second and First Cohort.

_Just who is this person?_

* * *

Mayu massaged her temples.

Drew's influence was able to garner views on the ten thousands.

Taichi's being in the thumbnail was able to generate views in the _hundred_ thousands _._

It was no longer undeniable.

Their video got picked up by the algorithm and got viral.

Fuck.

* * *

Curses.

Prophecies.

Rumors.

Beliefs.

The girl in the hospital opened her eyes. She'd seen it:

The Truth.

That reality is shaped by it's-

She smiled.

* * *

Minato looked fondly as members of the student council set up the school entrance. Taichi had bed hair because the student council president wanted them to start preparations early. He was up on a ladder at the school entrance setting up the decorations.

It wasn't some half-assed effort like only putting up a tarp. Granted it was made using paper mache and Styrofoam, but it was good effort nonetheless. A rustic, charming effort spray-painted in their school colors made by his schoolmates.

He read out the signage.

新宝島  
Shin Takarajima  
New Treasure Island.

* * *

>[ED Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIlZCmETvsY)<

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> credit:
> 
> Song Used:
> 
> 新宝島 by Sakanaction


End file.
